Having just completed its premiere launch into the art world with Art Palm Beach, Art Synergy is not resting on its laurels. This week, Art Synergy will partner with the American International Fine Art Fair which convenes at the Palm Beach County Convention Center Feb. 4th through Feb.9th. There will be three Art Loops: Art X (Northwood Village), Continuum (W. Palm Beach) and Art Fusion (Lake Worth). The Rickie Report shares the details with you in this article.

Art Synergy partners with International American Fine Art Fair with three Art Loops. American International Fine Art Fair to Celebrate its 18th Season in Palm Beach February 4 – 9 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Modern and Contemporary Art and Design, Sculpture, Objets d’Art, Exquisite Jewelry and Period Paintings from the Masters Available for Collectors

Public Hours

Long regarded as the most elegant annual fair of the American winter season, AIFAF offers an unmatched cultural experience for discerning and sophisticated collectors. A selection of prestigious international galleries and an informative, educational lecture program attract substantial attendance each year.

Art Talks:

While travelling in Australian in the early 1990s, Guerinni-Maraldi and her husband purchased a major work by Freddie Timms,“Sugar Bag,” (acrylic on canvas, 180 x 230 cm) painted during the artist’s time working with Frank Watters (Watters Gallery) in Sydney. This magical painting was the single catalyst that spurred Guerinni-Maraldi to begin exhibiting and selling contemporary art in London in the new millennium. Each year, she travels to Australia visiting remote indigenous communities, curators, collectors and artists. Her efforts in the United Kingdom aim to establish a greater awareness of high quality indigenous work and to build a stronger market for ethically sourced, contemporary Australian indigenous fine art.

For the last 20 years, Michael Goedhuis has been at the forefront of the popularization of contemporary Chinese art. Goedhuis will examine that tradition, its relevance today, and how new works can be combined with ancient material. Goedhuis has held many exhibitions on the new Chinese brush painters, most recently at the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2013.

Holden Luntz of Holden Luntz Gallery Palm Beach presents a look inside Naundorf’s series on haute couture fashion including her work for Chanel, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lacroix, Elie Saab, Lagerfeld and Valentino. Her artistic process through this series was very thorough as she researched the history of the houses, explored the archives of the couturiers, and chose the models, hair and makeup. With her research, she created lively storyboards, as well as written summaries of her productions, which include personal interviews with designers.

Géza von Habsburg is an internationally renowned author and leading authority on Fabergé. Much of his career has been devoted to organizing and curating exhibitions all over the world. He served as the curator and organizer for Fabergé, Jeweller to the Tsars (1986–87) at the Kunsthalle in Munich. Also, while a Board Member of the Fabergé Arts Foundation, he was Chief Curator of Fabergé, Imperial Court Jeweler (1993–94), which was shown in Saint Petersburg, Paris and London. He also served as Guest Curator of Fabergé in America, which toured five cities in the United States (1996–97). As an educator, Géza von Habsburg served as an associate professor at the New York School of Interior Design, the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, and New York University. He is currently a lecturer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Last year saw a transformation of AIFAF with the adoption of an easily navigable floor plan, a more contemporary presentation and a fashionable new restaurant and VIP facilities. Together, these elements offer an extraordinary atmosphere for viewing and purchasing the museum-quality art. Each work is vetted by experts who carefully examine for quality, authenticity and condition, ensuring that collectors may buy with confidence.

This year’s AIFAF will be followed by the inaugural Miami Art + Design (MA+D) from February 13 – 18. Set in a spectacular waterfront location “in the round” at Bayfront Park in Miami, it is now possible for visitors from afar to visit chic Palm Beach and alluring Miami on successive weekends. MA+D will showcase more than 40 prominent international art and design galleries featuring fine and decorative arts from Old Masters, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism to Post War and Pop Art offering collectors an opportunity to view and purchase treasures rarely seen outside major museum collections. MA+D is produced by International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) in collaboration with the SNA, the organizer of the prestigious Paris Biennale and co-organizer of New York’s Salon: Art + Design.

AIFAF is open to the public February 5 – 9 from noon – 7 p.m. (on February 7 until 9 p.m.) at the Palm Beach County Convention Center located at 650 Okeechobee Boulevard in West Palm Beach. One-day passes are $20 per person in advance; $25 at the door and multi-day passes are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Passes are available for advance purchase at http://ifae.ticketleap.com/aifaf2014/.

About International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE)

International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) founders David and Lee Ann Lester have pioneered more international fine art fairs than any global fair organizer since 1991, having established Art Miami in January 1991, The Palm Beach International Art & Antique Fair (now AIFAF) in 1997, Art Palm Beach in 1998 and MIA in 2010. They have organized more than 90 international art fairs, worldwide, in New York, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, London and Hong Kong. For more information, please call 239-949-5411 or visit www.ifae.com, facebook.com/IFAE01 and twitter.com/_IFAE.

Continuum West Palm Beach

312 Clematis Street, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL

“Rooted Ground Unlimited” by Anthony Burks,Sr.

Clematis Street is the historical heart of Downtown West Palm Beach. The Clematis flower ironically is known as the “traveler’s joy”. The vision for the Continuum location 312 Clematis is just that, the traveler’s joy in experiencing art in the Art & Entertainment location of central West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is the Title Sponsor for CONTINUUM and A.T.B. Fine Artists & Designers LLC is the design & curating team for CONTINUUM.

“The Perfect Game” by Beju

CONTINUUM RETURNS

Thursday, February 6 4 – 8 pm

Friday, February 7 4 – 8 pm

Saturday, February 8 Noon – 8pm ( Closing Reception)

LULA Lake Worth Arts District: Featuring a colorful, artistic, and vibrant cultural landscape along the main streets located west of Dixie Highway, Lake and Lucerne, visitors can find the energetic Urban Arts Lofts of Lake Worth. The eclectic mix of galleries, music venues and unique specialty studios means there is never a shortage of things to do.

Downtown Lake Worth, long known for its charming eccentricities in art deco architecture, culture and people has opened its arms to a rebirth of some of the finest visual arts, experimental music forms, dance and theater groups. This is reflected in the many locally-owned boutiques, art galleries, vintage shops, and specialty and jewelry stores. Flamingo Clay Studio, Lake Worth Art League Gallery,Art Link International, Clay Glass Metal Stone Cooperative Gallery, Bruce Webber Galleries, Maryanne Webber Galleries, Margot Stein Gallery, Artefact Pardo Gallery, McMow Art Glass, Art Gallery Designs, Shoe String Designs, Local Smoking Domain, and Artisans on the Ave are just a few of the participating galleries.

The inauguration of Art Synergy, the first countywide gallery walk weekend taking place in 6 art districts and coinciding with Art Palm Beach. Supported by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, Mayor’s Offices, DDA and Community Redevelopment Agencies, Art Synergywill include gallery receptions, open artist studios, performances, museum openings, lectures, cutting edge fashion shows and special architectural tours. The Rickie Report is pleased to be an underwriter of Art Synergy and hopes you’ll attend these exciting events! More details are in this article.

Preview:

January 23rd First View 6:00-7:30pm (Invitation only)

Collectors’ Invitational 7:30-10:00pm (Admission with purchase of a multi-day ticket)

ART SYNERGY

The inauguration of “Art Synergy”,the first countywide gallery walk weekend taking place in 6 art districts and coinciding with Art Palm Beach. Supported by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, Mayor’s Offices, DDA and Community Redevelopment Agencies, Art Synergy will include gallery receptions, open artist studios, performances, museum openings, lectures and special architectural tours. These events are focused on promoting contemporary galleries and emerging artists as well as established museums, not for profit art centers, university galleries and a growing number of international artists now drawn to these historic art community districts.

WELCOME TO THE 6 ART SYNERGY “LOOPS”

Art Synergy includes the following Palm Beach County Art Districts:

Continuum West Palm Beach

312 Clematis Street, Downtown West Palm Beach, FL

Clematis Street is the historical heart of Downtown West Palm Beach. The Clematis flower ironically is known as the “traveler’s joy”. The vision for the Continuum location 312 Clematis is just that, the traveler’s joy in experiencing art in the Art & Entertainment location of central West Palm Beach.

Eight minutes away from the Palm Beach County Convention, Continuum is the quintessential core of where art and culture is flourishing in the Downtown District. In partnership with the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, Continuum will have a diverse representation of artists of different disciplines partnered with music to keep the momentum of the DDA’s vision of being the arts & entertainment hub of Downtown WPB.

Full Schedule of Events for Continuum:

VIP Night: Black Tie & SneakersWednesday, January 22, 2014 6pm-11pm
Sneakers from the public to donate to Divinity Dance’s the Souled Out Project shoe for charity

Antique Row West Palm Beach

The special art walk, South Dixie Antique Row Art Walk will take place on Sunday the 26th from 4-6 pm.

‘Art Synergy is a wonderful county wide celebration of art in Palm Beach County, our little niche on Antique Row between Belvedere and Southern Blvd is full of variety, powerful artwork and elegant settings, all with in walking distance of each other’ -Jamnea Finlayson

Boynton Beach Art District

404-422 West Industrial Ave., Boynton Beach, Florida 33426

6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

ARTal’FRESCO 2014, is a one night fashion, art, and culture exhibition in Boynton Beach which will feature a unique art experiences at BBAD, recently recognized as the “Best Art Walk 2013.” Special presentations include: live painting in artists studio settings, plein air painting, contemporary sculpture installation, a glass blowing demonstration, painting and photography exhibitions, video projection and interactive BBAD studio visits. Entertainment is provided by the South Florida Symphony Brass Ensemble, illuminated performance by Philosiphiers, photo ops with Fusion: Fashion and Art’s living sculptures staged in front of the districts “ActivistArtistA Bay Gates” mural project wearing couture art inspired fashions. Graffiti artists who painted the doors and walls will be adding finishing touches to their murals to add to the many art experiences.

Art Palm Beach ticket holders will enjoy access a VIP catered area, sponsored by The Little House, where a meet and greet with some of the Art Palm Beach’s main speakers and presenters, as well as, a visit to the ActivistArtistA Gallery’s Exhibition “Sensibilities” featuring the work of Ali Miranda and Cheryl Maeder, Curator: Rolando Chang Barrero. DJ music provided by Audio Playground Entertainment will keep the action going into the late hours of the night.

A FREE luxury bus tour sponsored by The City of Boynton Beach will offer Art Palm Beach attendees an informative and entertaining tour to Boynton Beach. The four hour tour pick up time is 6:15pm at the Convention Center. The tour will travel to the Boynton Beach Art in Public Places, Avenue of the Arts out door exhibition of twelve sculptures set in an urban environment. At 7:40pm the bus will arrive at the BBAD, Boynton Beach Arts District for the ARTal’FRESCO exhibitions. The luxury busses will be boarded at 10:00 pm to travel back to the Convention Center. To register please visit this website or call Lori J. Durante, ARTalFRESCO Tour.

January 25, 2014 6 – 11 pm

Historic Northwood Village, West Palm Beach, FL

Guided Art Walk of Galleries 6pm-9pm Artist demonstrations, lectures, and art exhibitions See below for participating galleries in the Historic Northwood Village art district. Grand Finale: Fashion Show by Fusion Fashion & Art 9pm Emerging from the galleries, models will appear on the catwalk for a marvelous fashion and art show. Over 50 artists will be presenting all new works of fashion and art on the runway.

January 26, 2014

LULA Lake Worth Arts District: Featuring a colorful, artistic, and vibrant cultural landscape along the main streets located west of Dixie Highway, Lake and Lucerne, visitors can find the energetic Urban Arts Lofts of Lake Worth. The eclectic mix of galleries, music venues and unique specialty studios means there is never a shortage of things to do.

The Artists and the Lofts invite you to come and experience a day of Art Loft living. The walk will include live art demonstrations, assemblage of an air sculpture, musical and dance performances, ceramic creations, handmade drums and custom built furniture. Art Pop’s main event will be featuring 11 different galleries open to the public located at 1204 Lucerne also known as the Urban Arts Lofts (UAL).

The Urban Arts Lofts (UAL) consists of 12, brand new, two-story live/work lofts in the heart of the City. The three essential elements of this federally funded project included: style, sustainability and affordability. The Urban Arts Lofts provides workspace along with affordable housing for artists. These lots were once blighted and underutilized but the development of energy efficient/green units has helped market the City and given a real focus on setting the standard for arts and culture.

Exhibition of work will include fine art photography and feature “the digital transfer process”.

Live demonstrations how this exciting process is done.

Nardone
1202 Lucerne Avenue, Modern Building

Visual artists in Lake Worth focusing on journalistic, real-life film and photography as well as art installations

Downtown Lake Worth, long known for its charming eccentricities in art deco architecture, culture and people has opened its arms to a rebirth of some of the finest visual arts, experimental music forms, dance and theater groups. This is reflected in the many locally-owned boutiques, art galleries, vintage shops, and specialty and jewelry stores. Flamingo Clay Studio, Lake Worth Art League GalleryArt Link International, Clay Glass Metal Stone Cooperative Gallery, Bruce Webber Galleries, Maryanne Webber Galleries, Margot Stein Gallery, Artefact Pardo Gallery, McMow Art Glass, Art Gallery Designs, Shoe String Designs, Local Smoking Domain, and Artisans on the Ave. are just a few of the participating galleries.

The excitement of the Premiere of Art Synergy/Art Palm Beach is building! The Rickie Report is coordinating volunteers – a few hours of your time and expertise. You will be able to attend the event at which you volunteer at no charge, mingle with the artists and art buyers and truly be among the greater community of Palm Beach County, making a statement, “Art lives here!” More details are in this article. Feel free to share and ask some friends to join you for this remarkable opportunity!

Art Synergy/Art Palm Beach Offers 7 Art Destinations

January 23-28, 2014

Be A Part of this Exciting Premier Event!

Volunteers Needed!

Organizer and Founder of Art Palm Beach, Lee Ann Lester, is collaborating with a group of Palm Beach County artists led by Rolando Chang Barrero, Craig McInnis, and Freddy Hennevelt. They have organized art community leaders throughout Palm Beach County under the banner of Art Synergy. This is a county-wide movement to unify and promote the diverse culture of our vibrant arts community.

Art Synergy, Art Palm Beach and the Palm Beach Cultural Council, will produce 6 inaugural satellite exhibitions throughout Palm Beach County in conjunction with the world-renown Art Palm Beach event at the Palm Beach Convention Center, January 23- 28, 2014. This coordinated five day event includes over 60 galleries, studios, non-profit art institutions and museums. Each art district will offer gallery walks, symposiums, open studio visits, special exhibitions, fashion shows, poetry readings, architectural tours, film previews and art performances. Maps and schedules of events will be available.

Volunteers are needed at most of the locations. We need the entire community to get involved in even the smallest of tasks. “It is a significant step in telling the world that “art lives here”. It is Palm Beach County’s milestone moment. Palm Beach County has a great legacy in supporting the arts and is home to many of Florida’s leading art and cultural institutions. Art Synergy will create a new bridge for winter residents, Art Palm Beach visitors to explore this cultural legacy and create an annual destination to enjoy Palm Beach County Art Week events.”, Lee Ann Lester states.

The Rickie Report staff attended the premier of Northwood’s Art Walk a few weeks ago. The next Art Walk is Saturday November 9at 6 PM. Why pay $15. 00 to walk through galleries that are already open to the public? The Northwood Art Walk is much more than just a “gallery walk”! Tour guides bring Art Walk attendees through the neighborhhod. The galleries have special exhibits, artists speaking about their work, refreshments plus special sales. Let’s not forget the goody bags (this is better than Halloween)! There are coupons for free glasses of wine, discounts at restaurants, special offers from artists and samples of food and baked goods. It was so enjoyable, we all agreed that we will go again! More details about the Northwood Art Walk are in this article. Group size is limited. RSVP so you don’t get shut out!

Tickets for the guided tour are $15 per person. To purchase tickets, use Artwalk’s secure PayPal service on their website: www.northwoodartwalk.com

Tickets are only for sale on the website. Space is limited to 16 people. Attendants of the guided tour will participate in lectures and demonstrations and will be offered specials at our local restaurants, boutiques and more.

First Historic Northwood Village Art Walk

Big Hit!

Wall Hanging at CCE

A group of art-loving people gathered at the Center for Creative Education in Historic Northwood Village, West Palm Beach, Florida for the first Historic Northwood Village Art Walk.

Sculpture Garden at Arthouse 429

The Center for Creative Education uses the arts to enrich and transform a child’s educational experience. Painting, music and dance are used to increase mastery of literacy, math and science. It’s creative and it works! CCE is looking for children and adults to take classes in this renovated building which used to house an indoor roller skating rink.

William Halliday showing small version of mural across the street from Arthouse 429

The guided tour focused on the exhibited art within a number of galleries.

Mural Unveiling

All of the groups were present at the unveiling of the art fence mural from artist and gallery owner William Halliday.

Christopher Gatelock’s Imagine Studios. He is now hand embellishing some of his already amazing photography.

They proceeded to a lecture at Christopher Gatelock’s “Imagine Studios and Art Gallery”. Christopher Gatelock spoke about how he converts his landscape, industrial and portrait photographs into his own special imaginary style.

Jonathon Ortiz Smykla speaks about OSGS Gallery, celebrating its first anniversary in Northwood.

Eveyln and Jonathon, of OSGS spoek about some of the coomunity based artists whose work they show. They also offer custom framing and offer discounts.

The four tour guides had their hands full with more than 60 people signed up for the guided tour.

A small area of Hennevelt’ Gallery

The tour guides, coordinated by Amy Weeks, started with a short intro on the history of Historic Northwood Village. Freddy and Nicky Henenvelt’s Gallery offers a wide variety of art mediums. They also have comic book and drawing classes.

The aroma from Harold’s Coffee brings you inside. After you order, walk around outside and take in the wall art! Sit at a cafe table and relax…

Karen Campbell at Northwood Glass Art and Gifts

Karen Campbell, at Northwood Glass Art and Gifts, shows us some of her own glass creations. She also offers classes in ceramics, fused glass and mosaics.

Suzanne Connors gallery space was still under construction, but she welcomed everyone and looks forward to being part of Northwood’s creative energy!

Jabo Gallery artist and owner, Javier

We look forward to Paul Klov’s Bohemia AG to open soon. Who can resist art and gelato? Thanks to Creme de la Creme Bakery for yummy baked goods and all of the merchants for discount coupons!

Gallery 418

Gallery 418 offers signed art pieces by notable artist as well as designer sculpture and Old Masters. There is new artwork arriving weekly! After the Art Walk the new restaurant Garage VV offered an after party with free drinks and a DJ.

“Art X”

After a lot of preparations, “ArtX” , a collaboration of 11 galleries, is proud to announce the Second Saturday HistoricNorthwood Village ArtWalk. You can sign up online at www.NorthwoodArtWalk.com. Private group tours can be arranged by calling 561.506.4108.

ArtX presents the Historical Northwood Art Walk. ArtX is the collaboration of Galleries located in West Palm Beach’s Art District, Northwood Village. The Historic Northwood Art Walk will feature Art Galleries in Northwood Village Events with guided tours & more.

The Art Walk is an opportunity to see the latest in art trends and each visit is sure to offer something different and something for everyone. While you sip a taste of wine en enjoy appetizers our artists will present live demonstrations and lectures on art related topics and more. You can explore the artistic side of Historic Northwood Village by taking our guided tour or just stroll through the Village and discover the Art Walk on your own.

Tickets for the guided tour are $15 per person. To purchase tickets, use our secure PayPal service on our website: www.northwoodartwalk.com Tickets only for sale on the website. Space is limited to 16 people. Attendants of the guided tour will participate in lectures and demonstrations and will be offered specials at our local restaurants, boutiques and more.

Premier Art Walk Participants:

CCE Building

Arthouse 429

Bohemia AG

Christopher Gatelock Photoart

Gallery 418

Harold’s Coffee Lounge Art

Hennevelt’s Gallery

Northwood Glass Art and Gifts

OSGS

Suzanne Connors Fine Art Gallery

The Garage VV

For coverage of your events, to place an advertisement, or speak to Rickie about appearing in The Rickie Report, contact The Rickie Report at:

What happens when a grassroots movement brings artists from different associations, guilds, and galleries together? ART SYNERGY! The Rickie Report has written previously about the “Think Tank” meetings that began in May, 2013. With the visionary leadership of a few and the voices of many, we are excited to share ART SYNERGY, which will be part of Art Palm Beach in January, 2014! There are many opportunities for artists, galleries and groups to become involved. Read this article for more details!

ArtPalmBeach

Announces

Art Synergy

Jan. 23-28, 2014

Lee Ann Lester, Organizer of ArtPalmBeach Contemporary Art Fair, announced today the launch of the first “Art Synergy” Art Week during the upcoming ArtPalmBeach art fair. “ART SYNERGY is a countywide movement to unify and promote the diverse culture of our vibrant arts community”, explainedCraig McInnis, West Palm Beach Art District Coordinator. Initiated by Lee Ann Lester, Fair Organizer and local gallery owners Rolando Barrero, Craig McInnis, and Freddy Hennevelt; “Art Synergy” is a coordinated five day event with over 60 galleries, studios, non-profit art exhibition institutions and museums in six art districts throughout Palm Beach County during the five day fair, Jan. 23-28th.

Rolando Barrero, Director of ActivistArtistA Galleryand Developer of Boynton Beach Arts District; “Since opening my gallery, in a run-down industrial park in 2012, my dream was to develop the area into an art district and cultural center. It has taken only 2 years to do so. Now that it has been cleaned up, repainted, and nationally branded – it’s ready to be presented to the arts world. Lee Ann Lester is vital to this effort and it’s with much gratitude that I thank her for accepting our proposal to participate under Palm Beach’s flagship art exposition: ART PALM BEACH.”

Lee Ann Lester, Founder and Organizer of ArtPalmBeach, says,“Palm Beach County has a great legacy in supporting the arts and is home to many of Florida’s leading art and cultural institutions. Art Synergy will create a new bridge for winter residents and ArtPalmBeach visitors to explore this cultural legacy and create an annual destination to enjoy Palm Beach County Art Week events.”

The first evening of Art Synergy begins at ART al’ FRESCO at the Boynton Beach Art District, on January 24th 7pm – 1am.ART al’ FRESCO will feature “Sensabilities: CherylMaeder and Ali Miranda” at the ActivistArtistA Gallery, a walking tour of the Murals of the Bay Gates Projects, special performances and showcasing of work by local area artists.

Each art district will offer a weekend of scheduled gallery walks, symposiums, open studio visits, special exhibitions, poetry readings, architectural tours, film previews, and art performances.

The Participating Art Districts:

Historic Northwood Village, West Palm Beach

Clematis Street & West Palm Beach

S. Dixie Highway Arts District, West Palm Beach

Palm Beach Worth Avenue

Boynton Beach

Lake Worth

ArtPalmBeach is the most recognized international contemporary art fair held in the Palm Beach County Convention Center established by the IFAE LLC a Florida based art fair organizer. IFAE produces both ArtPalmBeach established in 1997 and The American International Fine Art Fair Palm Beach February 4-9, 2014 established in 1996.

IFAE is celebrating its 25th year as an international fair organizer founded by Lee Ann and David Lester. The company has organized over 100 international art fairs in Chicago, New York, Miami, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Dallas and Palm Beach. IFAE LLC is now based in Miami and Palm Beach. In addition to the two Palm Beach fairs the firm organizes Miami International Art Fair, Miami Art + Design Fair, Art Sarasota, Miami International Jewelry Fair and The Club at SeaFair events in conjunction with Show Management Yacht Shows in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach and Palm Beach.

561-537-0291

Christopher Gatelock is a published, professional photographer who recently moved to South FL. His studio is in the Northwood neighborhood. The Rickie Report shares an interview with this photographic artist, whose renditions are engrossing. Christopher’s re-composed images in bright, deep colors will captivate you as well. In addition, Christopher offers specialty portraiture that incorporates your vision and his artistry.

Christopher Gatelock

Imagine Studios

512 Northwood Road

West Palm Beach, FL 33407

561-516-0606

Christopher Gatelock

www.cgphotogoart.net

www.imagineportraiture.com

“A Life”

TRR: What were your early influences on this artistic path?

CG:

Art has always been just a part of my nature. I have always been a creative person and at the same time I have always been easily bored. As a result my creative nature has carried me through many different artistic endeavors including leather craft, photography, ceramics, painting and on and on starting at a very young age. My father bought me a Kodak Brownie Camera when I was around 7 years old and I took particular interest in photographing most everything I saw in the world around me and that has continued on in one form or another my whole life. Later in life I was able to invent and patent a number of machines and products sold by my manufacturing company and even designed and built a race car that I raced for number of years.

I was raised in a very conservative, military family and as a result I lived under strict discipline with hard and fast rules; the chiseled-in-stone kind. As a result, being born with a natural free spirited personality I was quite rebellious, but I was still able to maintain a healthy enough respect for authority to stay out of serious trouble. The rebellious part of my personality is very dominant and drives much of my creativity and life even today. I recognize very few limitations in my artwork and in fact I thrive on trampling over the fine lines of society’s rather random and inconsistent rules of acceptance as often as I can. I recognized a long time ago that rules were really made to be broken, but it was of paramount importance how you broke them.

“Palace Vizcaya”

TRR: You’ve said,” Life has a way of taking you to different places than you may have envisioned yourself going”. What do you mean?

CG:

After I did my own stint in the military service and discovered that I was not really a fit to that kind of environment, I attended college and took my first photography class. That was when I actually fell in love with the art form. I worked as the Sports Photographer for the annual and school newspaper and received a very solid, practical education in photography basics, both with the camera and in the darkroom. After graduation however, due to circumstances I really had little control over at the time, I went to work as an engineer in a manufacturing company. It was a short time later I become one of two sales executives of the company and was in charge of marketing and in turn entertaining our many customers with specialty sales events. Of course, photographing all of these events was an important part of our business structure so I doubled as the company photographer. Several years after that I started a manufacturing business in which I did all of the marketing and product photography for sales literature and website development. So, to answer your question, I feel it is important to discover early in life your passion and to always keep that passion active, even if when life takes us in various directions we seem to not be able to predict or control completely. There are many ways to pursue your passion, even while doing things that seem to be completely unrelated to it. You just have to make it all work together to get what you want.

“Surreal Forest”

TRR: It’s clear that finding a new way to be creative is part of your psyche.

CG:

Yes. That idea is a major force in my life. I am easily bored and that attribute being coupled with a rebellious streak that runs through the center of my personality, I hate the ordinary. I strive to go beyond what is considered the norm by society and create something that calls into question the accepted. I am naturally repelled by the normal, the ordinary, and especially the rules that someone somewhere decided were the “limits” of acceptability. I never want to become pigeonholed into being thought of as a certain king of person or doing something a certain way all the time. When I do too many things that are too similar I loose the sense of who I am as a person and as a artist, but more specific I loose touch with the center of my creative self. Most photographers become known as landscape photographers, glamour photographers or any number of other designations within our art and they will be forever remembered for being “that” kind of artist. I get much too bored and I am way too rebellious to limit my creativity by becoming just one certain kind of photographer. I do have a well-developed style that permeates my artwork, but I have no limits on the subjects of my work and will never set one.

“A Martian View”

TRR: How did you come to West Palm Beach, FL?

CG:

In 2009, my manufacturing business was hit hard by the recession. Also, after 17 years it had become unbearably boring. The physical labor that was required had become a burden as I had become older. I had purchased my first studio equipment and first digital camera in the 90’s, but in 2009 I decided to dedicate 100% of my efforts to become a professional artist in Photography. I began accumulating professional camera equipment and after some concentrated serious self-teaching and courses at the Academy of Art University I became proficient in my art. In 2010 I sold my old business and moved to New Mexico, which is one of the well-known artistic hubs in our country, as well as a landscape photographers dream. After a year of photographing the beautiful Northern part of that state I decided move to an area that was the exact opposite of New Mexico and so here I am. One strong draw for me to move here was the fact that my oldest son had moved to this area while I was in New Mexico.

“Dark Girl”

TRR: Take us from the beginning of an idea to a finished piece of work

CG:

Since I work in several areas within Photography I have different ways that I approach my work. In landscape and architecture I like to keep things pure. My creativity in these areas lies in surrealistically expressing what I want the landscape or the building to look like. It is about presentation of beauty and uniqness. There is very rarely any message except “look at how this could be if only they would let Gatelock design it”. I am not trying to save the world, just present it in a unique and more beautiful way than it really is.

In my other types of work there is always a message in the composition. The images will more than likely still have the visual artistic characteristics of what I do in landscapes and architecture, but with different subject matter. I tell a story with each of these photographic composites. About 95% of all my work involves composites. When I capture an image with my camera that is only the beginning of where I want to go with that image. In landscapes and architecture, the composites are mostly about esthetics. In my creative pieces, whether they are documentary, street, or portraiture, the compositions in addition to the esthetics are about conveying a message or a story. It’s not just what I am looking at through the viewfinder that is important to me. I’m already thinking about the possibilities of what I can do with that image or parts of it combined with other images or parts of them to create a completely unique, meaningful, and memorable creation.

The kapok tree near the Flagler Museum…

The jetty on Singer Island…

And a sunset scene in Key West…

The final image:

The concept behind this image is this: Here stands an old Kapok tree whose unlikely life begins as a wayward seed that somehow finds itself in a most unlikely and potentially lethal situation; tossed among rocks and concrete slabs next to the ocean and salt water with very little soil to take root in. But in a miraculous way, it overcomes nature’s negatives that surround it and threatens its very existence and it actually begins to grow. It becomes a thriving tree in spite of all the obstacles present in its’ environment. It adapts. It does what it takes to not only survive, but to even excel beyond anyone’s expectations. It is standing here now as a monument to tenacity and a positive view of life that actually goes beyond an attitude or a frame of mind, but that issues into action. The Kopak tree is a living example of what it means to overcome the worse kind of adversity and succeed beyond expectation. What we see now is the tree in the twilight of its life standing in all of its glory with a beautiful sunset to represent a beautiful ending to an amazing life. The image is meant to mirror the best of who we are as human beings when we overcome the adversities that occur in all of our lives and exceed beyond even our own expectations we place on ourselves, if we will only be tenacious and live a positive life.

“Happy”

TRR: Please tell our readers what you like most about being a full time artist and where you find challenges.

CG:

I love everything about what I do. The most important element of my life as an artist is the freedom I experience in creating what I feel emotionally every day of my life. It is the ability to express what I feel inside of my soul to the rest of the world. Not that I have anything meaningful to share because that is ultimately a judgment the viewer of my work has to make, but it is so liberating to me to be able to bare my innermost person to others. I have no idea how to explain this in practical terms because it is not practical. It is an emotional impulse I just have to do. It is my nature, it is who I am as a human being, good or bad.

Every artist’s challenge is balancing the amount of time one spends being creative vs. marketing his or her work. It’s been said that the worst thing for anyone, especially an artist, is to be ignored. Whether someone likes my art or they don’t I cannot control, but more than anything else, both from a financial as well as an emotional point of view, I want my art to be noticed. The most challenging part of what I do is being required to concentrate so much of my time on making a living with my art rather than being able to spend all of my time creating art.

You cannot learn creativity. It is a mind-set that really comes from the soul. That being the case, a new photographer‘s first priority is to take LOTS of photographs. Welcome to the wonderful world of digital photography! One picture costs the same as 1,000!

One easy, but absolutely necessary way to improve your creativity while using the camera as a tool is to take the basic camera setting off of “Automatic” mode and set it to “Manual” and capture images while playing with the light, shutter speeds, and aperture of the camera. When one learns to control all of the camera’s individual functions, that’s when one starts to develop their own creative style!

“Old Spanish Mission, New Mexico”

TRR: We understand you’ve recently completed a local commission.

CG:

I am honored to have my work commissioned by the Tremont Partners, LLC. on display as a permanent collection in the main conference room in the Chairman’s Club Building in Palm Beach. The amazing interior designer, Shannon Cleland, approached me last year to do the commission after visiting my gallery during an Art and Promenade event held in Northwood Village every last Friday of each month. She presented examples of my work to Amy Dittami, the CFO for Tremont, and gained her approval for the project. There are seven surrealistic images printed on metal, including a nine-foot panoramic view of the West Palm Beach shoreline along the intercostal waterway on display.

“Surreal Rapids”

TRR: How do you recharge your creativity?

CG:

I am constantly looking for concepts to create. This is a mindset I have developed and it is turned on 100% of the time, even when I am sleeping. I keep a little brown notebook with me at all times so I can write down ideas as they come to me. I constantly look at the work of other artists, I leaf through some kind of magazine on a daily basis, and I’m a huge movie buff so I pretty much watch at least one movie every day. I have a quiet time when I first get up in the morning. I will sit alone in a quiet room drinking a cup of coffee and do nothing but think about whatever comes to mind. I suppose this could be called meditation, but for me it is not sophisticated. It is just time to allow my mind to roam freely with no outside interference.

TRR: Besides creating these wonderful photographic scenes, you also work on specialty portraiture.

CG:

“Imagine Studios” is a specialty portrait service. The specialty element to my work is that I go beyond the simple personal portrait by combining artistic imaging with the client’s vision. I work closely with my clientele so as to create a one-of-a-kind, personal photographic image that enhances the unique beauty that the client possesses. One client may want a sexy boudoir image while another may be interested in a more artistic portrait or an elaborate fantasy creation. Anything is possible. I spend a lot of time consulting with each potential client to discuss with them what they are looking for in a portrait as well as a beautiful piece of artwork to put in their homes. I combine the two so that the portrait is not just a portrait, but also a creative piece of artwork with the client as the centerpiece.